We got pretty burned out on lettuce wrapped tacos, so this is a slight variation. You can make several teaks to it, depending on how you like yours! No pictures, since it just looks like a bowl of mixed up things LOL! Just because it isn’t pretty, doesn’t mean it doesn’t taste good

********************************

Mexican Taco Casserole

Ingredients:

1.5lbs ground beef (I used 8-/20 ground chuck)

1 large onion, diced

2 bell peppers, diced (I use a yellow and a red)

1 packet taco seasoning (or, if you have a batch you make yourself, you can use that)

1-1.5cups shredded cheddar cheese

4 ounces Kraft Deluxe American cheese (looks like Velveeta, but not)

1/4 cup or so of heavy cream

3 low carb tortillas (optional – I make mine without)

Salsa (I don’t measure…sorry!)

Preparation:

Cut up your veggies. I do a rough chop on mine, nothing too fine. Saute in a little olive oil and butter until softened. Season with salt. Once the veggies are cooked, add in your ground beef. brown the ground beef, and add in your packet of taco seasoning. I don’t add the liquid as the package suggests – just the packet! Reduce your heat to low, and let the flavor develop for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Once the meat is completely done, start making your cheese sauce. I bake the casserole in the oven, so to avoid making another dish to clean, I make the sauce right in the glass dish I’m baking in. If you want to use tortillas, you will need to use a separate dish for the sauce prep. Cube up the Kraft Deluxe American cheese in small cubes, put it into your dish. Add in 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese and your heavy cream. Microwave for 1 minute, and remove to stir. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until the cheese sauce is smoth and lump free. Using a slotted spoon, add in your ground beef and veggie mixture into the cheese, straining off the excess grease as best you can. Once all the meat is in, stir to completely combine.

Now – here is where you can vary. If you are going to use the tortillas, spoon some salsa into the bottom of the baking dish (mine is round, so if yours is not, you may need more tortillas to cover it). Place a tortilla on top on the salsa. Then, add about half of your meat mixture into the baking dish. Top with a thin layer of salsa. Add another tortilla. Add the rest of the mixture. Layer of salsa. Top with a tortilla. Add some more salsa on top, and then cover the top with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

If you aren’t using the tortillas, just top your casserole with some salsa and shredded cheese, and bake for 20 minutes.

I like to shred some lettuce, and add a scoop of the casserole on top of it with some more salsa. Sometimes I will make some fresh guacamole to have with it as well!

Nutritional Information (6 servings, excluding tortillas)

Carbs: 9.5g net

Protein: 34.4g

Fat: 37.6g

Calories: 516

You can save some carbs by reducing the amount of vegetables added. I like a lot in mine, but the choice is yours! This would be just as good without any if that’s your thing!